The Great British Beauty Clean Up: What is the initiative set to tackle industry waste?

Launching March 2025, the campaign by the Sustainable Beauty Coalition (SBC) will bring together beauty brands and retailers to significantly reduce sector waste.

The SBC was formed by the British Beauty Council (BBCo) in 2021 and will launch The Great British Beauty Clean Up on 3 March: the start of Waste Week.

The British Beauty Council website states that the campaign is ‘designed to encourage increased beauty recycling rates and educate consumers on reduce, reuse, refill, as well as correct use of household recycling for beauty’. The Council’s interactive recycling map is also being revamped. This directs consumers to recycling schemes across the UK, where consumers can drop off ‘hard to recycle’ packaging.

The BBCo’s The Courage To Change report shared that the beauty industry produces over 120 billion units of packaging globally – much of which ends up in landfill.

Research also shows that the beauty industry makes up a third of all landfill waste, and 86% of plastic beauty packaging is not recycled.

Millie Kendall OBE

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, comments: “The beauty industry provides so much joy, self-confidence and is a source of expression for so many people, but this should not come at the cost of the planet.

“The Sustainable Beauty Coalition has long spearheaded moves by the industry to reduce our impact on the planet, and its new campaign is designed to reduce the amount of beauty empties that end up in landfill.

“Any business can get involved, whether that’s highlighting their takeback scheme on our map, educating shoppers or supporting the movement on social media. Together, we can make a difference.”

Want to be involved in The Great British Beauty Clean Up?

The Sustainable Beauty Coalition is encouraging all UK beauty brands and businesses to get involved. The campaign has received support from over 50 retailers, brands, retailers and industry professionals, including Boots, Tesco, L’Oréal, Cult Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC. Click here to fill out a form to register your interest and download the toolkit.